10 Gay Watches: South Asian Edition

Padma Danturty (she/her) 

Last year, I wrote an article called “10 Gay Watches” highlighting my favorite queer representation in Western media. I stand by what I said when I mentioned that media is so much more interesting to me when characters are from a wide range of backgrounds, whether it’s a diversity in sexuality, gender identity, race, or socioeconomic status. It’s not only important for me to learn about different identities, but also having representation of myself on screen, normalizing my existence and opening up my experience to a wider audience. Being a minority meant this was challenging to find; however, I’ve compiled another “Masterlist of Media” of well done South Asian queer representation! 

1. Sex Education

Photo Courtesy of Screen Rant.

    I’ll admit that in Sex Education, Anwar’s role is minor, but his inclusion, specifically as a minor character, brings a new image to queer Indians. In the first episode alone Anwar is introduced as part of the “Untouchables,” the popular high school clique. Being a minority doesn’t stop the writers from casually introducing him as a popular, rude character. Anwar’s juxtaposition with Eric (the only other openly gay student at their school) allows the show to dispense ideas that gay men are a monolith and will immediately pursue relations because they’re both attracted to the same gender. Anwar defies stereotypes, and the show as a whole takes his character as an opportunity to do something different, making him someone to root for. ​​

2. Never Have I Ever

Photo courtesy of Bustle.

    Never Have I Ever is a cute coming-of-age show about Devi and her group of friends navigating sex, relationships, and high school–all while remaining a light-hearted comedy. Though there have been mixed reactions about whether her character is truly inclusive or plays into Indian stereotypes, I think the inclusion of POC as main characters with developed personalities and storylines is beneficial to the media. More than that, in the second season of Never Have I Ever, Aneesa is introduced. Aneesa explores her sexuality over the season, explicitly navigating the intersectionality of her queer identity and being Indian in a school without many others. I think having a female character explore her sexuality in high school, as so many do, is important and does well to represent many who may feel alone. 

3. Queer Eye

Photo courtesy of Screen Rant.

    Queer Eye, a 2018 reboot of the original 2003 show Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, gained immediate popularity as a reality show aimed at bringing five queer men to help various people in need: from cooking to grooming. Tan France is the one in charge of personal style and often helps men feel more confident in their body and clothes. Having a Pakistani and Muslim background, Tan talks about his experiences throughout the show, especially when talking to other South Asian men. He shows that you can be Pakistani and queer, an identity lacking in representation.

4. Grand Army

Photo Courtesy of Netflix.

    In this show, Siddhartha Pakam navigates his sexuality and racial identity while managing the stress of applying to college. The show has a clear narrative as he matures through phases of trying to understand who he is, and he portrays a realistic person with an Indian background. Siddhartha even gets to have a (very cute) romance. My favorite part is his college essay, which fleshes out his identity and sexuality in an intersectional way. I personally felt very seen by Sid, relating to his stress and complex understanding of being a minority in America. 

5. Crashing

Photo courtesy of Netflix.

    Crashing includes the character Fred, who is constantly flustered, cute, and willing to help others. His racial identity is only subtly mentioned when the group eats Indian food, in a controversial debate scene about whether it’s acceptable to do an Indian accent. However, I find the absence of his racial identity as a storyline refreshing too. Fred is just a person, and in the show, isn’t treated differently for who he is, especially as he is the only POC in the main cast. His romance story is especially cute, and is perfect for a weekend binge with only six episodes. 

6. The Halcyon

Photo courtesy of IMDb.

    The Halcyon is a British show set during WWII, and features a very cute gay romance between Toby, a war analyst, and Adil, a bartender at the hotel Toby is staying at. Adil is an immigrant from India and their relationship persists despite blackmail. Set during the 1940s, the show highlights that there have been LGBTQ+ people for a long time, from many places. 

7. Why Are You Like This

Photo courtesy of Screen Rant.

    Set in Australia, Why Are You Like This is a silly, eccentric show poking fun at millennials and the boxes set up for us. My favorite episode is called “Dick or Pussy of Colour” and follows Mia, a Bengali woman, trying to hook up with a person of color, regardless of gender, because she isn’t getting what she’s looking for from her dates with white people. The episode is really funny and isn’t too serious, plus it shows Mia’s intersectionality regarding her race, religion, and sexuality. Mia isn’t a perfect person, and she isn’t necessarily meant to be liked, but that’s what makes her character human and fun to watch. In a later episode where Mia is fasting during Ramadan, she reflects on herself and how she can be satisfied combining her Australian and Muslim identities. 

8. Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga

Photo courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter.

    This is a Bollywood film from 2019 featuring a male playwright, Sahil, who comes to a town for inspiration. He tries to pursue a girl, Sweety, unaware that she has a secret female lover. Over time the couple becomes accepted by their community, and the film explores the friendship that develops between Sahil and Sweety. This was one of the first widespread Indian movies explicitly featuring a same-sex couple, and it does well to have an inclusive narrative that doesn’t make fun of the characters. In a previous article, I explored how significant this film was to gay Indian culture. 

9. Badhaai Do 

Photo courtesy of IMDb.

    Badhaai Do, another Bollywood film, is a comedy exploring the concept of beards– in this case, a gay man and lesbian marrying to keep their true identities hidden. The comedy in this film is great, and the movie never reduces LGBTQ+ people to stereotypes. Instead, this movie reveals the diversity within the community by way of multiple queer characters and scenes of pride parades. I also explored this movie in an article about how it defies gay Indian male stereotypes and fleshes out queer masculinity. 

10. A Little Late with Lilly Singh 

Photo courtesy of Lilly Singh on Instagram.

    A Little Late with Lilly Singh was an NBC late night talk show featuring a queer Indian woman, YouTube creator Lilly Singh, as the host. In addition to being the first major network late night talk show to feature an Indian (or South Asian) host, this show was also the first to feature an openly bisexual host as well. Unfortunately, she received a lot of backlash, with criticism not only about the content of her show but also about how outspoken she was. She discusses this feedback in an interview with fellow YouTube creator Anthony Padilla. Although the show only had two seasons, her bravery to be her authentic self even when millions were watching and expecting something very specific is extremely commendable, and reminds us that the status quo shouldn’t limit what we achieve. 


    All in all, it’s amazing how much progress has been made within mainstream media over the past few years in terms of representation. Some people may argue that we enjoy TV and movies without reducing characters to identities they were born with, but when showmakers have the opportunity to educate audiences and represent so many people by exploring an often-suppressed identity, then it’s not just good but necessary that they do so.